Page 65 of A Warrior's Heart

“Speak your thoughts, Malik,” Lorcan said.

“It’s not my place.”

“I’m making it your place. Now speak.”

“You did well,” I said, awed by him. “You fooled James. Made him believe you fancied him too.”

“I had no choice in the matter.” Lorcan sat on the edge of the bed and rubbed the back of his neck. “James is a beast. He hungers for me. He has for years. It was the only thing I could think to do to distract him. The entire time I was with him, I yearned to plunge a dagger into his neck.” Lorcan frowned at me. “What happened with you anyway? You seemed out of sorts when we left the tavern.”

“I saw someone,” I answered. “They wore a black hooded cloak, but I saw silver hair beneath it.”

“My brother?”

“Possibly.”

Lorcan leaned forward, exhaling as he rested his arms on his knees. “I don’t understand it. If James has Ezra on his side, why bother with me? Ezra can find the trident. He can wield it. There’s no reason to play these games with me. What’s his aim?”

Alek sat beside him and pulled Lorcan to his chest. The prince accepted the comfort, his hands slightly trembling. He’d been more shaken by the encounter than he’d said.

“Everyone is a pawn to James,” I stated. “You, Ezra, the people he rules over. But I believe he really wantsyouby his side, not your brother. Perhaps a part of him hopes you’ll join him someday.”

Alek growled and turned his face into Lorcan’s hair, reaching up to grip the long strands.

Soulmates were possessive of each other. Having the human king as a potential threat to their love had made them desperate to become one, to lay claim upon the other. As they lost themselves in a heated kiss, hands tugging at the clothing separating them, I gave them privacy and left the cabin, walking back onto the main deck.

“Again!” Shar yelled, walking in a circle around Nereus. “Do not overthink it. Let your body move as it wishes to.”

Nereus wiped the blood from the corner of his lip and pushed to his feet. “You’re telling me not to think?”

“No. I’m telling you to trust your natural instincts.” Shar stepped toward him, their chests touching. He pressed his fingers into the young warrior’s temple. “You have a keen mind, Nereus. Yet, you tend to overthink every move. And that moment of hesitation is all your enemy needs to take you down.”

Spotting Troy near the bow, I left Shar and Nereus to their training and approached him.

He held onto the railing as the ship cut through the water, heading toward what seemed like an infinite stretch of sea. He turned before I reached him and offered me a small smile.

“You and Lor were fortunate,” he said. “I feared the worst when the human king found us.”

“As did I.”

“You did?” Troy cocked his head. “But you were so calm. Brave.”

“When all seems lost, you mustn’t let your men see you doubt them or yourself. I learned that lesson when I commanded the army.”

“But you were afraid earlier?”

“Yes.” I peered down at him. His hair was disheveled from the breeze, and his violet eyes shone bright. Pink kissed his cheeks, much like I wished to do.

“Do you miss it?” he asked. “Being a captain?”

The sound of the sails flapping faded, as did the birds’ calls as they flew overhead. My mind took me to that fateful day thirty years earlier. I heard nothing but bloodcurdling screams. Swords clanked against shields and the battle cries of the fighting men rang in the air.

I saw Aeon. Dressed in golden armor, he readied his sword to face the onslaught of human soldiers charging at us from all directions.

I had led us straight into a trap.

My second in command, Gal, had betrayed me. Betrayed all of us. He’d snuck away in the dead of night and told the enemy commander of our plan to attack through the narrow mountain passage leading from the sea to the human army’s camp.

Gal had often voiced complaints about King Triton, saying he cared more for riches than his own people, saying Triton cared not if we all died. I had dismissed the remarks, thinking them to be the grumbles of an exhausted warrior who missed home. How wrong I’d been.